


Vertigo

by JuliaM (seshat0120)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:33:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seshat0120/pseuds/JuliaM
Summary: Daniel's in a precarious position and has to depend on Jack.
Kudos: 27





	Vertigo

“Jack,” Daniel called with a noticeable tremor to his voice. “Don’t let go.” 

“I won’t Daniel,” Jack reassured. “Just don’t look down.” He’d just been ready to call Daniel back from the edge of the cliff where he’d stood to survey the ruins beneath them when a tremor shook the earth. The ground had crumbled beneath Daniel’s feet and Jack’s heart had lurched sickeningly as he watched him disappear over the edge. 

He’d dropped to his stomach and crawled cautiously toward the edge fully expecting to see Daniel’s broken body on the ground far below. Instead, he’d seen Daniel about four feet down clinging to a scrawny bush with one hand and trying to find his footing. Jack had reached down and snagged Daniel’s free wrist but was in too awkward a position to pull him up. He’d shouted for Teal’c and Carter to help but didn’t know if they heard him or if they’d arrive in time. His hold on Daniel was precarious at best and was being made worse by the other man’s attempts to pull himself up. 

“Daniel,” he said. When that garnered no reaction, he barked the name with more of a command in his voice. Daniel stilled in his struggles and looked up to Jack. He'd lost his glasses in the fall and the fear in his eyes was evident. “You need stop moving around so much,” Jack said with a gentler voice. “And you need to give me your other hand.” He’d seen how Daniel’s struggle was pulling the bush from its weak hold in the dirt wall. 

“No,” Daniel said as he quickly shook his head. “I’ll fall...I’ll pull you with me.” 

“You won’t,” Jack reassured with as much confidence as he could put in his voice. “You have to trust me, Daniel.” He looked imploringly at the other man. “Please, Danny, trust me.” 

Daniel stared up at Jack from where he dangled. He bit his lower lip and stopped all movement. It was rare that Jack called him ‘Danny’ and when he did, it was either to tease him or a verbal cue of how serious Jack was. Slowly, Daniel released the hold he had on the bush and moved his hand in Jack’s direction. Before he was able to have a panicked thought that he wouldn’t be able to grab his friend’s hand in time, he felt Jack’s strong grip around his wrist. He turned his arm so he could return the grasp. He swallowed heavily and looked down at the long drop below him then back up to Jack. 

“I won’t let you fall, Daniel,” Jack reassured through gritted teeth. “I’ve got you. Don’t look down. Just look at me.”

Daniel barely nodded and a quick, nervous smile flashed. “I know, Jack. I know you won’t. I trust you.”

A moment later, they heard the voices of their approaching teammates. “Over here,” Jack called. “Hurry.”

Before Daniel had time to realize what was going on, there was suddenly a flurry of arms reaching down to him and he was pulled back up onto firm ground. He felt himself dragged a good distance away from the edge, but it wasn’t until all movement stopped that he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Jack’s concerned gaze. “Th-thanks,” he stuttered.

“I thought you were gone,” Jack confessed. “When you went over that edge, I thought that was it.”

“Me, too,” Daniel agreed then tried to sit up but was stopped by Teal’c’s restraining hand on his chest. “I’m ok, Teal’c. Let me up.”

Teal’c glanced in Jack’s direction then removed his hand and aided Daniel to a seated position. “Are you hurt anywhere?” Jack inquired.

“Bumped my head a little, that’s all,” Daniel answered as he gently prodded at the back of his head.

Jack brushed Daniel’s hand away and felt at the spot Daniel had been rubbing. “Sorry,” he said when his prodding produced a wince. “You’ve got a good-sized bump here.”

Carter dropped to her knees by Daniel’s side. “Do you feel dizzy?”

“No. I’m not dizzy or nauseated,” Daniel added before the question could be asked. “It’s just a bump. Really.”

“Except with you a bump doesn’t just stay a bump,” Jack said as he moved closer and peered into his friend’s eyes. “Well, they look the same.”

Daniel did his best to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Good to know. I’d hate to think one had changed or something.”

“Don’t get cute,” Jack admonished with a pointed finger. He looked over to where Carter knelt on the other side of Daniel. “You finished with those soil tests you wanted to do.”

“Yes, sir. I just finished when we heard you calling.”

“Good,” Jack said and helped Daniel to his feet. “We’re going to pack it in then and head back. No arguments,” he added when Daniel started to open his mouth. “I want Frasier to check that bump and make sure it’s not a concussion or something else.” When Daniel still looked determined to argue, he added, “I’ll talk to Hammond and see about coming back so you can check out those ruins better. Let’s just make sure you’re ok, first.”

“Ok,” Daniel agreed mollified by Jack's promise to talk to the general about coming back. "I'll help you pack up your stuff, Sam," he said as he began to move in the direction she'd been working. He'd only taken two steps when all the color drained from his face and he murmured a soft "oh".

"Daniel?" Jack asked worriedly. "You ok?" He reached out to steady Daniel then lowered him to sit on a nearby boulder. "Just take it easy. What's wrong?"

Daniel shook his head slightly then winced as he regretted the movement. "Just a little dizzy." The words were no sooner out of his mouth when he twisted out of Jack's hold and leaned over to the side vomiting."

"Woah!" Jack yelled as he quickly grabbed Daniel so he wouldn't topple over. He braced him in position, rubbing his back until the vomiting ended. "I think maybe a little more than just a bump."

Daniel slumped back into Jack's hold. "Head hurts," he admitted a little sheepishly.

"And so much for not being dizzy or nauseated," Carter said with a little smile as she crouched in front of Daniel. She held up two fingers in front of him. "How many do you see?"

Daniel squinted slightly. "Two," he sighed with just the hint of a question then closed his eyes.

"Is your vision blurry?" Carter asked then shook her head slightly. "Of course it is. You don't have your glasses." She glanced up at Jack where he was still bracing Daniel. "We should get him back ASAP, sir."

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "We'll have to come back for the samples. He rubbed Daniel's shoulder lightly. "You think you're up to heading back to the Gate or do you want to rest a little longer."

Daniel pushed away from Jack. "I can make it," he said and rose unsteadily to his feet. Jack quickly grasped his elbow steadying him.

The trek to the 'Gate took them a little longer than it had when they'd first come through but Daniel seemed to be much steadier by the time they arrived at the gate. Jack, however, made sure to stick close to him the whole way frequently asking if he needed rest breaks much to Daniel's annoyance.

Hammond was waiting for them at the end of the ramp when they stepped through the gate. “SG1, you’re early,” Hammond said with a look of concern on this face. Unasked was the question of what caused their early return.

“Yes, sir,” Jack agreed as he helped Daniel down the ramp. He handed his weapon over to a waiting airman as he they reached the bottom. “Daniel had a little mishap.”

“It’s nothing,” Daniel said with a wave of his hand. “Jack’s just being cautious.”

“You almost went over a cliff,” Jack said as he turned Daniel to face him. “I wouldn’t say that’s nothing.” He looked over to Hammond and quickly explained what had happened and asked for permission to take Daniel to the infirmary. He nearly didn’t wait for the permission before leading Daniel off. 

Several hours later found Daniel tucked into one of the infirmary beds. X-rays and a CT scan had confirmed that he had a mild concussion and Dr. Frasier insisted he spend the night in the infirmary for observation. If he hadn’t had a pounding headache, he might have argued with her. Instead, he was content to stay put until the throbbing drum beat between his temples subsided. 

“Hey,” Jack said coming up to Daniel’s bed. “Doc says you need to spend the night.” 

“Yeah, but I’ll be fine.” 

Jack pulled a chair over and sat. “Look, I talked to Hammond. As soon as Frasier says you’re ready to go off world, we’re going to go back to check out those ruins you saw.”

Daniel smiled at the news. “I wasn’t sure you’d actually ask Hammond about that. Thanks.” He looked down and fiddled with the edge of the blanket. “And thanks for back on the planet. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have a chance to go back to see those ruins.”

“Hey, do you know how much paperwork there’d be if I let you go over,” Jack joked then turned serious. “I really did think we’d lost you for a second or two. Just do me a favor next time. Stay away from edge of cliffs, ok?”

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling. “I think I can arrange that.”


End file.
